You might see 'gorilla hail' reported in severe storms this spring. Here's what it means
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Some of the severe storms that have hit the Midwest this spring have brought "gorilla hail" back into conversations about the weather.
Just this week, when thunderstorms ripped through Iowa on Tuesday, spawning a tornado, the system produced large chunks of hail, also known as gorilla hail, which were among the main threats to the state, according to the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network.
But once the severe weather threat passes, some people are left wondering about this weather phenomenon.
"Every time I see 'gorilla hail,' I just imagine a gorilla pelting ice balls at people's cars and houses," tweeted one user on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Every time I see "gorilla hail" I just imagine a gorilla pelting iceballs at people's cars and houses pic.twitter.com/pOtHP7e4sY
— P.G. (@ElonBigGay) April 30, 2024
Storm chasers, including Accuweather's Reed Timmer on X, warned that "gorilla hail" and tornadoes posed a severe weather threat Tuesday.
As funny as the term sounds, this kind of hail is no joke. Iowa faced numerous severe storms, large hail, damaging winds and a tornado.
LIVE update on the threat of gorilla hail and tornadoes this late afternoon and evening from eastern NE/IA through western MO into eastern KS! Flat trough with potent low-level jet evolving by evening. IF storms can remain discrete, tornadoes will be more likely pic.twitter.com/VNvXuxe4c6
— Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerUSA) April 30, 2024
Updates: Tornado watch issued for western, central Iowa through Tuesday night
What is 'gorilla hail'?
"Gorilla hail" is a colloquialism to describe large hail, said Brad Small, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
Gorilla-size hail is considered 2 inches in diameter or greater. Severe thunderstorms can produce hail at least the size of a quarter (roughly an inch) or as large as a tennis ball and are accompanied by 58 mph winds or more, according to NWS.
"It's certainly not a technical term we use here," Small said of the phrase.
More: Gov. Reynolds issues disaster proclamation for eight Iowa counties. Here’s what to know
It's not the first report of gorilla hail this year.
In early April, the phenomenon was reported in parts of Oklahoma and Kansas when storms ripped through the area.
Residents said the chunks of ice that pelted the states were nearly the size of softballs. and ranged from 3 to 4 inches.
Alex Sosnowski, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said gorilla hail was given its name because of the potential it has to become so big.
Tips for staying safe during hail and severe weather.
Anyone who finds themselves facing any type of hail storm should stay up to date and monitor the weather.
According to the National Weather Service, folks should do the following to keep themselves and their property safe:
Move vehicles into garages or under carports to prevent damage at a time when safety permits.
Avoid windows and remain on the lowest floor level of the building
Even if the hail is smaller than gorilla hail, it can still shatter windows and send glass and debris into your home. To avoid that, Robert Ndegwa, a State Farm insurance agent, recommends closing windows, blinds and curtains during hail storms to help reduce flying debris.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 'Gorilla hail' reported with more severe storms this year: What is it
